St. Georg Austrian High School and Commerce School
Audio Narration:
Construction Year:
1303 (first structure) / 1677 (current structure)
Location:
Beyoğlu, İstanbul
Ordered By:
Marki de Nointel (current structure)
Architect:
Unknown
Changes After Construction:
The site of the structure, dating back to the early periods of Christianity, is first recorded in sources from 1303.
In 1677, the French Ambassador Marquis de Nointel obtained the necessary permissions from Sultan Mehmed IV and had the complex, which included the school, rebuilt.
In 1882, accepted as the official founding date of the present high school, the complex, together with the church within it, was purchased by the Austrian Lazarists.
The building, where education was interrupted twice during the First and Second World Wars, has continued its educational activities uninterruptedly since 1947.
The historic structure was restored in the early 20th century and redesigned in a European architectural style.
Prominent Features:
Also known as the Austrian High School, the institution graduated its first students in 1913.
The school’s historical roots date back to a school opened in 1628 within the Sankt Georg Catholic Church.
The campus, together with the adjacent Sankt Georg Church, is situated within the historic urban fabric of Galata.
The similarity between the logos of Galatasaray Sports Club and St. Georg Austrian High School continues to be a subject of discussion.
Among the school’s alumni are İlber Ortaylı and Mesut Yılmaz.